Read Online With His Ring (Brides of Bath Book 2) by Cheryl Bolen - Free Book Online Page A

protested.
"I'm here today with you. Would I be doing that if I were ashamed
of you?"
    "You're throwing me crumbs to assuage your
conscience."
    He shook his head vigorously, though her
words rang true. His big hand covered hers. He felt the warmth from
the steaming cup. "You must understand how important you are to
me," he said.
    She laughed a bitter laugh. "All you want is
my compliant body because your wife won't be able to satisfy
you."
    "There's much more to you than a compliant
body, Carlotta," he said in a deep, low voice.
    Her long black lashes lowered. "Why couldn't
you have asked me?"
    He shrugged. "I honestly don't know."
    "I never thought you would be so snobbish
that you would marry for rank."
    "I'm not marrying Miss Pembroke for her
family's rank," he protested angrily.
    "Then why? She's a mere child—and not the
innocent you think her. What can she do for you?"
    It's not what she can do for me as much
as what I can do for her. Why had Carlotta maligned Glee? He
didn't like it above half. He picked up his cup a downed his tea in
one gulp. "We can talk on this from now until doomsday, but it
won't change the fact that I've offered for Glee, she accepted, and
the bans have been posted. There's nothing we can say or do now
that will change anything."
    Carlotta shot him a puzzled glance. "You
want to marry her, don't you?"
    "For God's sake, Carlotta, I've never wanted
to marry any woman. You know that. Now, drink your tea."
    She shook her head. "I no longer want it."
Her eyes flashing in anger, she picked up her cup and slung its
contents at him.
    His temper scorching, he scooted back his
chair and stood up. "I suggest we leave," he uttered in a voice
shaking with anger.
    They strolled silently along Cheap Street
and turned onto Milsom. Her tears had finally stopped. When they
got to her door on Queen Street, she turned to him. "This will be
goodbye, Gregory," she said.
    His brows lowered.
    "I will use what little pride I have left to
sever my illicit ties to you," she said. "I shan't allow you to
slake your hunger in my bed." Her voice broke on the last few
words, then she opened the door and entered, slamming the door in
Gregory's face.
    * * *
    Glee would never know how she made it to
Queen Square. Her heart raced, and she felt as if the blood had
drained from her body. Blanks and Carlotta! It made her sick
to think of the beautiful widow lying within his arms, allowing
Blanks to love her like he would never love Glee.
    And there was no way Glee could ever compete
with Carlotta and her buxom beauty. How sadly she compared to
Blanks's mistress. Blanks's mistress . The thought was rather
like a dagger to the heart.
    Since her refusal to allow Glee to cross the
street to meet Blanks, Diana had not uttered a word. Even when a
passing horse kicked water on her pink gown.
    Finally, Glee broke the silence. "She's his
mistress, isn't she?"
    "A young maiden is not supposed to know of
such things," Diana recited.
    "Oh, but I do know," Glee said
forlornly.
    Diana's glance shifted sympathetically to
Glee.
    "Why couldn't it have been a woman from the
lower classes?" Glee mused aloud.
    "Or one with a wart on her nose?" Diana
added.
    Glee tried to summon a laugh. Sweet heaven,
she had known Blanks kept mistresses, but never had she supposed
such a woman would come from her own class. Or be so very
beautiful.
    When they got to the Harrison's house, Glee
moved through the lavish ground floor chambers completely without
emotion. When she was informed all the tasteful furnishings were to
be included, she made no comment for her every thought was on
Blanks.
    Upstairs, she viewed the mistress's and
master's chambers and dressing rooms, still without comment. When
she beheld the olive green bed in the master's chamber, she
realized this is where Blanks would sleep. Just steps from her own
bed. With a dull pain in her heart, she wondered if she would ever
share the bed with the man she loved.
    When the tour of the house was